Malaysia's coast guard is to step up air and sea patrols of the piracy-prone Malacca Strait and increase its staff by thousands, a report said today.

Most of the ships of the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA), which was launched in December 2005, are more than 25 years old and some have been in service for 45 years, the New Straits Times reported.

"In order for us to be able to do our jobs effectively, we need at least 116 vessels," MMEA director-general Mohammad Nik was quoted as saying. "Before the end of this year, we should have enough helicopters and specialised vessels."

The Malacca Strait, shared by Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore, is one of the world's most important stretches of water, where some 60,000 ships pass through annually carrying about one-third of the world's freight.

The waterway, 960 kilometres long, is notoriously vulnerable to pirate attacks, and governments also fear it could be a tempting target for terrorists.

"Our main focus is the Strait of Malacca as it is the busiest lane in terms of shipping activity," Mohammad said.